The Center for Artificial Intelligence and Health for Latin America and the Caribbean (CLIAS), an initiative of CIIPS-IECS, shared the milestones of a management marked by the focus on vulnerable populations and the regional perspective.
At a recent project meeting of the IECS's Center for Implementation and Innovation in Health Policies (CIIPS), the team of CLIAS It presented the results and lessons learned from four years of sustained work. Since its creation, the center has set itself a clear objective: that artificial intelligence (AI) should not be an end in itself, but a tool to improve access to, delivery of, and quality of health services, as well as individual decision-making and public policy in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Pioneers in an emerging field
CLIAS's journey began before the massive rise of generative AI, taking the risk of exploring a then-nascent field.
“We started this project before ChatGPT even existed. We were encouraged to explore an emerging field, especially in the field of health, which involved great technical and institutional challenges, from understanding the potential impact of AI in the health sector, to managing open calls for research projects on AI and sexual, reproductive and maternal health, where we received more than 150 expressions of interest,” recalled Cintia Cejas, general coordinator of CLIAS and coordinator and researcher of CIIPS.
For Martín Sabán, a member of the technical team, the compass was always the real implementation: “The value of AI depends on how it is integrated and adopted in specific health systems and, fundamentally, on who benefits.”
Impact in numbers: a consolidated regional network
Over the course of four years, CLIAS not only funded projects, but also built a knowledge community with regional reach:
- 15 projects funded in various LAC countries.
- 4 initiatives in the process of scaling up.
- 129 researchers and 22 institutions strengthened through training and mentoring.
- +1.500 people reached through webinars and events.
- 300 active members in its regional network of experts.
Among the tools developed are chatbots for sexual and reproductive health, ultrasound systems for rural midwives, and family planning platforms for teenagers, among others. For more information about the projects: clias.iecs.org.ar
Towards the future
This assessment is not a conclusion, but rather a foundation for the challenges ahead. From IECS and CIIPS, we thank the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for its fundamental support in positioning the region at the forefront of responsible AI applied to public health, with a special focus on vulnerable populations.
Open call: Join the CLIAS Knowledge Community
The CLIAS Knowledge Community is a collaborative and multidisciplinary space aimed at promoting the development of responsible AI solutions in health.
Are you interested in participating? You can apply by filling out your information at the following link: CLICK HERE